Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-03-23
DESTROYED BY FLAMES.
IA FIERCE FIRE VISITS TIE ClAUTAu.
QUA ASSEMBLY GROUNDS.

HOuses-Panic In michigan Cnurch.
Kentucky Hotel Fire-Other Losses.
JAMEsrowN, ". ", March GA very
destructive fire broke out in the Chautauqua
Assembly grounds last night at midnight,
and ragged five hours before it was got under
control BY the firemen. The fire broke out
in the Curtiss cattage, on Whitfield avenue,
and was caused by defective flue The
flames spread with great rapidity from cot
tage to cottage, and at 2 o'clock the entire
length of Simpson avenue was in flames
There are 800 cottages in all on the grounds,
but during the winter only about sixty fami-
lies remain there. The residents fought the
fire with great vigor, but owing to the mea-
ger facilities made little or no Roadway in
checking the flames.
AT !, o'clock seventy-five cottages had been
destroyed, including dozen large boarding
houses Among them was the Parkhurst
Place cottage, one of the largest on tho
grounds, which was built last year at q cost
of $4,000. 1t was only by the most strenu-
Gus efforts on the part of the residents that
the hotel Athenaeum was saved. The total
loss viii reach $780, 600 at the lowest calcula-
ton. All the cottages destroyed were fur
nished, and owing to the rapidity with which
the flames spread nothing could be saved
The burned district includes Sumnerfeld,
Whitfield and Simpson avenues. The latter
was swept clear from the auditorium to the
hotel Athenaeum.
The buildings were built of dry pine, and
burned rapidly. Within ten minutes after
the fire was discovered the first cottage was
one mass Of flames, and half a dozen other cot
tages had taken fire.
The residents could do nothing to prevent
the fire from spreading, owing to the lack of
fire apparatuses During the summer
months pumping engine is kept on the
shore of the lake to be used in case of fire,
but during the other seasons of the year the
property of the assembly is left almost
wholly unprotected IN case of fire. The
flames were prevented from communicating
to the Hotel Antheneum by the cottagers
tearing down several intervening cottages.
Efforts to obtain aid from the fire depart
ments in the neighboring cities proved fruit
less. The nearest town Mayville, five miles
distant, has no fire apparatus and no assist
ance could be obtained from that place.
No lives were lost, although several men
were slightly burned while endeavoring to
save some household goods. There is very
little insurance on the burned property
The losses fall wholly upon the cottage
owners. The loss to the Assembly association
will be small.
The cottages and. boarding houses were
owned as follows: DIR ] Boland Bradford,
Pa. Ecker 81 Parkhurst, Pittsbufg;; Mrs.
Judge Wetmore, Warren; William Martin,
Mayville N. Y; Mrs. w. T. Baker, Akron.
O.; Mrs. Ballard, Mrs Curtiss, DR. Curtiss,
. |. Fl. Rumagin, e. L. Alling, Akron, o. The
Fox cottage, the Warquitt cottage, Mrs
Siegfried, L. B. Thorpe, Mrs. Thompson, of
Buffalo; Mrs. Cook, Elder William Rice,
Annie Cummings, Rev. Mr.. Bowers William
Garnett, Mrs. Brinstoll, Rev. WV Painter,
Mrs Captain Payne, Mrs. Flint, Rev. Theo-
dore Flood, Meadville; Rev j. H Peace,
Rev DR. Chaplin, Philadelphia; j. G. SEQ
field, two houses; Rev. Mr.. Moore and
Others. The cottages of Mrs. r. H. Jennings
and Mrs Wagner, on Simpson avenue, were
the only buildings saved on that thorough
fare The summer residence of Hon. Louis
Miller, founder of the Chautauqua assembly,
was saved. The Ecker 81 Parkhurst house
cost $15, 900, and was built last season.
Lyman Hall. one of the winter residents at
the Assembly grounds fought the fire until
he was Frustrated and he is now reported to
be in a serious condition No other accidents
are reported. Mrs. Duyall, who was living
in the Curtiss cottage, where the fire broke
out, barely escaped with her life Six cot
tages on Asbuly avenue were destroyed in
addition to thQse already reported Among
the additional sfosses are the following cot
tages. Mrs Carnahans, Rev DIR. Goodrich,
Rev Kimberlake, Mrs. Gibbany, L. I. Neal
R. NJ Smith and Mr.. Heath
The burned district was one of the most
slightly on the lake. The Simpson and Sum
merfeld avenues ran parallel with the Lake
Front, and boulevard and park divided
them from fhn wafer All the lark cbado